18 Vintage Photos of People Celebrating Independence Day

You'll spend today grilling, drinking, and watching fireworks. Here's how people celebrated in years gone by.

1. 1918: American soldiers driving through streets during 4th of July celebrations. Photo courtesy of Getty Images.

2. 1932: Elizabeth Young (right), a Paramount player of the 30s, is celebrating Independence Day by waving sparklers and linking arms with Lyda Roberti, the German-Polish leading lady who was a former child cafe singer. Photo courtesy of Getty Images.

3. 1940: A group of children playing with sparklers after Fourth of July celebrations. Photo courtesy of Getty Images.

4.1955: A young boy on a miniature float commemorates the American Declaration of Independence, at the baby parade in Lititz Springs Park, Pennsylvania. The children are judged on their appeal and costume as part of the Independence Day celebrations on the 4th of July. Photo courtesy of Getty Images.

5.1955: A child dressed as George Washington is pulled past on a miniature float, one of the contestants in the Lititz Springs Park, Pennsylvania baby parade. Photo courtesy of Getty Images.

6. 1939: A Fourth of July picnic on St. Helena Island, South Carolina. Photo courtesy of the Library of Congress.

7. 1923: Fourth of July parade at Takoma Park. Photo courtesy of the Library of Congress.

8. 1893: A Fourth of July salute. Photo courtesy of the Library of Congress.

9. 1908: Baseball at Sauk Centre, Minnesota, within a race track. Photo courtesy of the Library of Congress.

10. 1906: A little boy holding three large firecrackers and an American flag. Photo courtesy of the Library of Congress.

11. 1906: Parade float. Photo courtesy of the Library of Congress.

12. 1919: Two women (possibly in the Washington, DC area) dressed as Liberty and Columbia as part of the year's Fourth of July celebration. Photo courtesy of the Library of Congress.

13. 1919: Scenes of celebration at Walter Reed. Photo courtesy of the Library of Congress.

14. 1941: Bicycle riders in parade on the Fourth of July at Vale, Oregon. Photo courtesy of the Library of Congress.

15. Between 1900 and 1916: Tug of war contest on street in Skagway, Alaska, on the 4th of July.

16. 1941: Fourth of July roadside stand near Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

17. 1895: Boys stand on a model ship on horse-drawn float in Victor, Colorado's Fourth of July parade. Photo courtesy of the Denver Public Library.

18. 1916: Child dressed as Liberty. Photo courtesy of the Library of Congress.

Erin is the Executive Editor of MentalFloss.com. Previously, she covered everything from natural disasters to bridge engineering to the science behind sci-fi movies for Popular Mechanics magazine. When she's not editing or writing, you can find her karaoking, reading non-fiction, watching Investigation Discovery and hockey (go NYR!), or hanging out with her cats, Oliver and Pearl.

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